1. CONDUCTING AN INTERVIEW
NEW SKILL from AQA,
CONDUCTING AN INTERVIEW

2. What is the difference between an Interview and a Questionnaire?
Discus in groups

3. What is the difference between an Interview and a Questionnaire?
Open ended
In depth
Analysis to interpret the results (harder to graph?)
Less structured
Often Closed questions
Often quick fire
‘Pigeon holed’ questions in a certain categories
Answers often analysed through graphs.
Write down a comparison – add any more as they mention them

4. What is the difference between an Interview and a Questionnaire?
Interview: an in-depth discussion with someone, usually following a predetermined set of questions but following up responses with supplementary lines of enquiry Vs Questionnaire: a predetermined and piloted set of structured questions, most of which require coded responses in order to tabulate and calculate frequency
Worth writing down
What is the difference between an Interview and a Questionnaire?

5. Interview surveys
These can be more detailed and more flexible than questionnaires, with open ended (rather than closed) questions and the opportunity for respondents to give their opinions without being pigeon-holed by option boxes. Interviews can also be less structured than questionnaires, so particularly interesting points can be pursued and you can adapt to follow the flow of the conversation.

6. Preparation Research the topic thoroughly
Decide who you need to interview
Try to find out the names of specific people (use personal contacts if possible) and write a formal letter to them - in plenty of time and explaining who you are, what you want and why you want it, and asking for them to contact you to arrange a mutually convenient time. They may want to know the type of questions you'll be asking
Decide on exactly what it is you want to find out from each person
Decide on the sampling strategy if you are planning to interview large numbers of people, for example if interviewing visitors to a country park

7. Structuring your interview
Start with a few factual, easy and short-response questions to put the person at ease
Think about the sequence of your questions. They should follow a logical sequence and the deeper more searching questions requiring a more thoughtful response should come later in the interview
Consider the length of time it might take - aim for no more than 30 minutes
Ensure that your questions are relevant and show your understanding of the topic; think about each question beforehand and consider how you would explain your meaning if the respondent is not fully clear what you're getting at
Ensure the questions encourage more than just a yes or a no answer. Be prepared to prompt for more detail
Think about the wording of questions. Your questions should be clear and unmistakable, without any ‘conditioning' in the way that the question is being asked (for example, questions starting with ‘do you agree...' encourage a ‘yes' answer). Think also about the tone of the question as you ask it
Be aware of potentially sensitive or provocative questions
Conduct a pilot test and refine your questions accordingly

8. Conducting the interview
Dress smartly
Be punctual and polite - introduce yourself confidently
Use a digital voice recorder to record the interview if possible, but make sure that you ask for permission first
Explain the purpose and the basic content of the interview. Try to make some ‘small talk' to put them at ease
Talk clearly and be prepared to clarify or explain your questions
Adapt to the person and try to build a rapport with them - you don't have to stick rigidly to the questions if they make an interesting point you'd like to follow up
Use a note-book to jot down notes for each question, and any other information they give you which is not directly related to any of your questions - it can be tidied up later
Obtain permission to use quotes from them if possible
End as you began: politely thanking them for their time

9. Using the data within an investigation
Be selective with what you use: it's impractical to try to include everything in your report
Think about the best ways to represent your main points, for example a table summarising positive and negative comments or a comparison of the opinions of different respondents, for example a developer with a local farmer
Include other primary or secondary data where relevant to reinforce and back-up your information
Visual representations of the key points can be effective, for example speech bubbles around pictures or a central map

10. Considerations and possible limitations
It may be difficult to arrange an interview - you want to aim to interview the ‘top' people, for example the developer or site manager and these are busy people! You may not even get a response and have to re-think your tactics
Take care if the issue you are investigating is sensitive or controversial. You must strike a balance between getting someone's opinions and going too far! You do not want to cause offence
Be prepared to have certain questions or requests refused
Interviews are time consuming; both in terms of preparation, which needs to be carefully done, and the interviews themselves
Quantitative results which can be statistically tested are hard to obtain; qualitative results need careful thought with regard to how to use constructively in a way which will add real value to your stud

11. Example Interview of a developer of a new housing estate:
Will you explain and justify the choice of location please?
Will you please summarise the main outcomes of the EIA into this development?
In what ways have local people been involved in the decision-making process?
In what ways have the findings of the EIA and local people's opinions influenced the plans for this development?
a.) What impacts do you anticipate during the construction phase of this development, both to the environment and to local people? b.) How will you minimise these impacts?
How will this development help to meet the housing needs of the local area, for all social sectors of the community?

14. Make sure that you plan to be flexible!!
TASK
The specification states that you need to be able to collect and analyse data from an interview. This is not part of the Stratford fieldwork but is part of the local place study! You will be conducting an interview with someone by the end of the Christmas holidays.
Make sure that you plan to be flexible!!

15. Today’s task
Write your aim, same as the SOA place study– what exactly do you want to find out?
Use the information from your current Stratford research and fieldwork as your pilot study, what issues do you need to find out about? Make a list of any key points you could bring into the conversation e.g. figures from the demographic lessons
Create a list of questions – in a spider diagram first
Look for logical links between questions
Order your questions in a ‘building sequence’ so enable you to get the most out of the interview.
Add your own notes / research bullet points under the question so that you have further evidence to discuss if necessary.
Justify why each question will help answer the overall aim – if not then why is it there?

16. What do you do with the recordings afterwards?
Discuss the concept of coding and quoting from texts – students need to decide how they will record and how they will break it down?

17. Coding the interview – Qualitative Analysis
Coding is the process of organizing and sorting your data. Codes serve as a way to label, compile and organize your data. They also allow you to summarize and synthesize what is happening in your data. In linking data collection and interpreting the data, coding becomes the basis for developing the analysis. It is generally understood, then, that “coding is analysis.”
Coding can be done in any number of ways, but it usually involves assigning a word, phrase, number or symbol to each coding category. You will go through all your textual data (interview transcripts, direct notes, field observations, etc.) in a systematic way. The ideas, concepts and themes are coded to fit the categories.

19. Coding the interview – Qualitative Analysis
Carry out the interview
Type up the interview – there are some free dictation software programmes you could use to speed this up, maybe even using Siri in the first place?
Decide on your codes – colour coding useful.
Read through and colour code the relevant sections
Make notes (see previous slide) to pick out key themes or ideas
Coding the interview – Qualitative Analysis

20. Let’s test it out…
You are going to try your survey with the person next to you, ask the questions – do they understand them? What needs changing?